Paul Schwarz

Partner & Principal Acoustic Engineer , Design Confidence

Paul is an experienced acoustics, noise and vibration design consultant and has approximately 22 years’ experience working in this field. In that time he has gained extensive understanding of designing, monitoring, assessing and controlling acoustics, noise and vibration affecting commercial, residential and public property. His experience also includes writing and reviewing detailed technical reports as part

of wider environmental and architectural studies.

Architectural services provided to date have included the provision of advice on all aspects of architectural acoustics to many major international architects and developers; assessing client’s needs and providing cost effective and practical advice commensurate with the project requirements.

Paul is experienced at writing de- tailed acoustic specifications for items such as external building fabric

Dr. Remy Parmentier

Head of the Meteorology Business Unit, Leosphere

Dr Remy Parmentier is Head of the Meteorology Business Unit at Leosphere. He is in charge of developing the use of Pulsed Coherent Lidar technology for Air Quality and Meteorology. Having joined Leosphere in 2006 he lead for 10 years the Windcube Lidar R&D team and contributed actively to demonstrating worldwide the benefits of the Lidar technology.

Dr Remy Parmentier holds a PhD in Physics from Univ. of Aix-Marseille (France) and worked previously for Schlumberger (optical sensors and systems development) and the French Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (fiber optic sensors modeling).

He is member of the WMO-CIMO Expert Team on New Remote-Sensing Technologies.

Dr. Ludmilla Scott

College of Sustainability Science & Humanities, Zayed University Abu Dhabi

Dr. Ludmilla Scott teaches Public Health and Environmental Policy courses within the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Environmental Sciences and Sustainability. She also supervises the recently established Environmental Policy Student Club, Green Action. Dr. Scott is actively engaged in Health Literacy and Health Care Utilization research to identify needs and strategies for improving health outcomes and decreasing health care cost.

Prior to joining ZU, Dr. Scott spent over 20 years working in public health policy to include time on working in the U.S. House of Representatives. During this time she also had the opportunity to work on the Senatorial and Presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama, while working for Congressman John Conyers, Jr. Dr. Scott also served as Commissioner for the Governor of Maryland. She has trained more than 100 community-based organizations throughout the United States on Leadership in Public Health, Government Policy, Program Development and Collaboration. She is actively involved in 'health literacy' and 'tobacco use' research in the UAE and contributes public health related topics for The National, a local newspaper in the UAE.

Dr Matt Ösund-Ireland

Middle East Air Quality Practice Leader, AECOM

Middle East Air Quality Practice Leader for AECOM

A chartered environmental scientist based in the Middle East since 2010 with over 25 years of international project and due diligence experience in environmental assessment, management and sustainability appraisal. Technical leader and expert witness in air quality and carbon assessment and management policy.

Matt has been involved with the Air Compliance Management Program in Kuwait since its inception in 2011 and has recently managed the development of a strategy for Kuwait Oil Company to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including technical assessment, cost benefit analysis and consideration of how measures initiated by KOC could be rolled out across Kuwait to leverage greater emission reductions.

Dr. Federico Karagulian

Air Quality Researcher, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology

Dr. Federico Karagulian has several years of expertise in atmospheric science, physical chemistry and, intensive data analysis. Federico has built his experience in international organizations, research institutes and private companies as researcher and technical consultant. After receiving a PhD on 2006 in Environmental Chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Federico joined one of the pioneering worldwide air quality research group at the University Of California Irvine (USA) where he worked on fundamental chemistry regulating atmospheric air pollution mechanism. In the following, he moved to Brussels where he started working on air pollution using satellite observations. After one year, he joined the European Commission and then the World Health Organization as researcher in Air quality and he helped developing some of the current Air Quality regulations in force in the European Union. On 2015, Federico joined an Air quality and Energy private consultancy in the UK where he worked on the National Air Quality network data management with the integration of satellite observations. Finally, at the end of 2016, Federico joined the Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi as expert in Air Quality. At the date, he is coordinating an Air Quality project with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOCCAE) in the UAE.

Eng.Fida M. Alhammadi

Head of research and building system, Building Department - Dubai Municipality

Fida Mohammed Alhammadi is Head of Research and Building Systems section, Building Department at Dubai Minicipality. A Civil Engineer with a Bachelor of Civil and Enviromental Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, 2013. She later obtained her Master of Engineering Managment – University of Sharjah. She is a certified LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE, CFT,CFME, CCPFme,BREEM ASSOCIATE and an approved trainer by local and Intenational entities.

Eng. Yaser Kayed

Eng. Yaser Kayed is a Head of Studies and Planning Unit at the Environment Protection Section – Ajman municipality and Planning Department UAE. During his career he served as Environmental Protection Section In-Charge from 2008 up to 2011-UAE, as well as Environmental Officer prior to that. He is a member of member of the steering committee for licensing and monitoring, ground water licensing committee, biodiversity committee at the Ministry of Water and Environment and other.
His specialty is in marine water studies and reporting, air monitoring and modeling, industry monitoring and corrective actions, waste management and strategy, environmental management plan, environmental impact assessment reporting and review.
He is also a part of the team preparing the environmental instruction book for the industries and is one of the team that put the proposal of Ajman environment authority.
Eng Yaser Kayed holds MSc. in Environmental Sciences from An-Najah National University with the thesis on Evaluation of Daily Changes in Air Pollutant Levels On the Induction of Respiratory Systems in School Children.

Eng. Aisha Alabdooli

Director of Air quality department, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, UAE

Eng. Aisha has 15 years of experience and currently holds 3 positions at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment:
• Chief Innovation Officer: Supervision over the implementation of the innovation strategy at the ministry, monitoring of performance, and strengthening of the innovation culture within the organization
• Director of Air Quality: Supervision over the development of national air quality improvement strategies, legislation, and action plans
• Director of Environmental Awareness and Education Department: Supervision over the implementation of the national Environmental Awareness and Education Strategy, and promotion of environmental awareness and positive behavior in society

Some of her key achievements include:
• First Emirati female engineer to work at state-owned sewage plants
• First Emirati woman to work as head of state-owned sewage plants
• First Emirati woman to work as Technical Services Manager at BESIX Group which in involved in infrastructure projects
• Leadership of the team working on the development and preparation of the mechanism and implementation plan of the UAE Green Growth Strategy
• Supervision over the preparation of the first national State of Green Economy report
• Monitoring of the implementation of the National Environmental Education & Awareness Strategy, thus contribution to the increased rate of national-level environmental awareness from 63% in 2014 to 68% in 2015
• Supervision over the team preparing the first UAE State of Environment report
• Development of many specialized strategies

Gerald Stewart

Principal – Acoustics, Inhabit Group

Gerald has recently returned to the Middle East after a three year hiatus designing two theatres and a soundstage mixing theatre in Australia. Known as the recording studio guru, for his work with major record labels; Sony, EMI, Festival and Vertigo labels over the last 30 years, his wealth of pragmatic experience come from both the designing and building aspects. His apprenticeship was as a cabinet maker building roll-top desks, but his passion for craftsman like woodwork and music, combined with a Masters in Design Science (Audio and Acoustics) quickly turned his hands to building high performance studio reference loudspeakers, which he still does under his own “Landmark” brand.

Along with typical building services acoustics, Gerald is equally well known for his work in road traffic noise intrusion design. Many people residing near major roads and freeways in the states of Victoria and NSW in Australia have benefitted from his design of road noise walls for residential property protection over many years.

Gerald was the inaugural chairman of the Middle East Acoustic Society, a group of likeminded acoustic professionals that communicate acoustic and audio ideas in a technical development forum that now boasts 170 members

After spending 30 years both touring with major music acts and in his ‘off tour’ time being the lead designer and partner in an Australian firm specialising in TV radio and recording studio construction, he was quick to see the change from pro-studio use to people using the studio in a box in the early 2000’s and took his wealth of experience from touring and live sound production and mixed this with his intimate working knowledge of theatres and performance spaces to become a highly regarded consultant designing the top echelon of live theatrical performance spaces. His recent work includes performing arts theatres, TV broadcast, radio and recording studios on both sides of the equator. Zayed University Abu Dhabi is one local project where his designs are used from site wide acoustic and audio visual design to theatre planning of the main 1000 seat theatre and convention centre. Using his amassed wealth of audio production knowledge and keenly tuned ears he is also an avid ‘home recording’ philanthropic producer who provides off site mixing and production expertise to upcoming young recording artists over various internet portals. In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar and recording his own music, building and flying RC model jets and along with his wife enjoys travel, cooking and everything the Middle East lifestyle brings, he calls the UAE home.

Simon Miller

Eng. Hani Hossni

EHS Dept Director - Center of Waste Management - Abu Dhabi, Tadweer

Appointed as a EHS Director – The Center of Waste Management – Abu Dhabi (TADWEER), and acting as a member of the senior management team in 2012. EcoWASTE executive committee chairman 2013-2014, a member of the executive committee for Abu Dhabi EHS center Former Appointed HSEQ Manager of Abu Dhabi Distribution Company. He leads the company team to win Shaikh Khalifa Excellence Award the 8th Cycle in 2007, and the Golden Category for the same Award in the 10th cycle in 2010 in the services sector, and as well the Five Star certificate for the Health and Safety Management System by the British Safety Counsel.

Hani preparing his DBA from Aston University on “The Effectiveness of the Occupational Health and Safety Management system in United Arab Emirates”, and he received a Master degree in Quality Management from the University of Wollongong. He also holds a Bachelor degree in Engineering Management from HCT, and he is Quality and HSE Certified Lead Auditor from (IRCA).He is also EFQM Excellence Assessor. He is a member of several national and international associations as Dubai Quality Group (Member of Board Director and General Secretary 2010-2012), British Safety Counsel and UAE Society of Engineers.

Hani recognized by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum for the Young National Leader on the Excellence Business field, in Share Best Practice Conference, Jun 09.and he won “Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Scientific Outstanding” on the 20th edition, 2008.

Dr. Amnish Ravindranath

Senior Manager - Quality & Accreditation, NMC Specialty Hospital

Dr. Amnish Ravindranath has over 13 years’ experience in healthcare. He is currently working as Senior Manager – Quality & Accreditation at NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi. He has developed, implemented and is leading the Quality improvement, risk management, Environmental Health and Safety Management (EHSMS) programs, various accreditation process. He has a Bachelor degree in Dental Surgery, Masters in Hospital Administration, Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Laws & Ethics and Certificate in Healthcare Risk Management. He holds various certifications, in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM), Patient Safety (CPPS) and Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), (CHCQM-PSRM) and Business Intelligence (CSBI). He is also Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMS) Practitioner registered with Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHAD) Registration Program Qudorat. He is Member of the Patient Safety Task Force of American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM).

Moh’d Sa’dat Moh’d Alam

Managing the issuance of the First state Of Environment Report in Jordan and UAE.

Consultant for the preparation of the National Communications for Iraq, Oman and Kuwait.

Team leader for GHGs inventory for Jordan’s National Communications to the UNFCCC.

Developing national standards for ambient air quality and source emissions.

Dr. Alena Bartonova

PhD, Research Director, NILU UAE

RNDr. Alena Bartonova, PhD, Research Director, NILU UAE. She has background in mathematical statistics and environmental science, and works as a research scientist in the field of air quality, environmental health and integrated assessment at NILU. She has extensive international experience from research, assessment and air quality monitoring projects executed in countries across Europe, in India and in the UAE where she was the head of NILUs branch office 2013-2014. In addition to own research activities, she has served as adviser to the European Union’s 5th and 7th Framework Program for Research, has served on the EU Scientific Committee for Environmental Health Risks, and as an adviser to the WHO in relation to exposure assessment and revision of the EU air quality legislation.

Amit Kumar Srivastava

General Manager and Regional Head , APAC and Middle East region

Amit Kumar Srivastava is General Manager and Regional Head for APAC and Middle East region and has 18 years of experience in Sales, Account Management, Corporate Planning and Operations Management. He is currently responsible for driving business in IoT and Industry 4.0 specifically in manufacturing segment. He has extensive experience in selling solutions to large enterprises across Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Telecom, Utility, Healthcare and Government Sector in Middle East and APAC region. He has worked in an organization at both Business Units and Corporate level and has cross functional expertise across Project Management, Operations Planning and Corporate Planning. In his earlier organization, he was the Unit Planning and Operations Manager for Canada Business Unit where he was responsible for anchoring Strategy Planning, Business Planning and Operations Planning for the unit.

Amit has published papers and spoken in various forums on new age topics. For ex: He was speaker at Business Today HR Forum and spoke on “Job cuts due to Automation“ and while spoke on “the Future of Manufacturing“ in Indian Machine Tools Manufacturing Association. He has Co-authored a paper on the topic “The Smart MENA (Middle East and North Africa) CIO“ which was published in IDC CIO Summit and a technical paper on the topic – “BPML: A Process Modeling Language for Dynamic Business Models” in Fourth IEEE International Workshop, California, USA

Amit holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Metallurgical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India. He can be reached at amitkumar.srivastava@in.bosch.com

Laila Al Alawi

Manager EHSMS & Special Audits Department, Health Authority Abu Dhabi

Dalia Wagdi

Sustainability Consultant, AESG

Since graduating from the American University in Cairo with a Bachelors in Architecture and a Master’s of Science in Construction Management, Dalia has pursued a career within the sustainable development sector, first in research and teaching environmental design then in working as a Sustainability Consultant for AESG headquartered in Dubai.

Dalia’s Master’s thesis, consisting of a comprehensive research study on The Effect of Building Materials on Indoor Air Quality, further stimulated her interest in the sustainable built environment and drove her to complete further education. Her studies on building materials have focused on understanding material screening and testing requirements as well as pre and post occupancy performance testing for good Indoor Air Quality. As a sustainability professional (Estidama Pearl Qualified Professional, LEED Green Associate and WELL Accredited Professional), Dalia project manages the Sustainability requirements of various projects across the UAE, including projects pursuing WELL Certification.

Dalia is also an active member of the WELL Faculty and participates in conferences and CPD courses relating to the implementation of sustainable development features.

Abeer Sajwani

Abeer Sajwani is an environmental professional working currently with the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. Abeer has a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the American University of Sharjah and a M.Sc. in Environmental and Land Planning Engineering with concentration in Sustainable Development from Politecnico Di Milano, Italy. She is passionate about environment related research in the region and she is active participant in UAE environmental initiatives.

Jon Lee

Head Acoustics - MENA,

Jon is an experienced acoustics, noise and vibration consultant. Through working on and managing projects at all stages of planning, design and construction he has gained extensive knowledge in architectural and environmental acoustics.

As a corporate member of the Institute of Acoustics he held a seat on the Publications Committee and was presented with the Distinguished Service Award for his services to the Institute. He also helps run the Middle East Acoustic Society, promoting professional standards in all matters of acoustic practice in the region